A shove in the right direction
by patience and comfort
Summary: A tragic incident pushes Emma Swan to face her feelings while Regina learns all about forgiveness. SWANQUEEN. Disclaimer and authour's note inside
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

Life isn't easy, and to me, it has never been kind. Looking behind me, the hurt and pain comes back in full force; the deaths, the torture, mother, father, Snow White... Henry. I can see them all, coming back at me with full force, to hurt me and make me pay for the things I've done. And what can I say for myself? That I'm not the only one to be blamed? That It was not all of my doings? That I 've tried? I know they won't listen. They don't want to hear it. And to be honest, I don't want to hear it either. I just want my life back. And I can't even get that.

All I need to do is take a final step, and all my troubles will finally be over. That's what the voice said, and it's perpectives are appealing so I follow, like I always do. All the fruitless efforts will finally come to an end. And even though I can't stop wondering what will happen when I'm gone, I know it's the only way left for me.

Staring into the salty water around me, I feel no fear or apprehension. All I feel is a quiet peace washing over me as will soon the waves. Gently urging me to do it, to take that final step. To go.

And that is what I did.

I took the final step, lost my footing and tried hard not to survive.


	2. Who are you?

**Disclaimer: I do not own once upon a time or any reconisable characters. So, please don't sue me.**

**A/N: Sorry about the size of the prologue. I do realise that it was really short. But don't worry, here's a longer one to thank you all for reading and reviewing**

_**Emma**_

Everyday since our arrival from Neverland had been such a blur. It's been weeks of shaking hands and beaming faces and big hugs. Everybody wanted to get a glimpse of Storybrooke's heroes, of their Savior. But all I wanted was for it all to go away and never come back.

No matter where I turned, the reminders of the past were there. The slowly rebuilding ruins of the old Storybrooke the trigger had destroyed, the slightly haunted look in Henry's eyes when he thinks no one is paying attention or the awful sinking feeling that I get whenever I think about that godforsaken place. Neverland

The worst part of all this is that I seem to be the only one affected and that there's no one to talk to. Archie, even though he's trying to help is just not who I need and my parents just nod and smile condensingly at me before doing something completely annoying like asking: "When do you plan on inviting Baelfire over for dinner" or "Have you seen Baelfire lately". It's like they just decided to refuse to listen to me whenever I try to tell them that I don't like Bae anymore, besides, he doesn' t even like being called Baelfire

So there was no one to talk to (hook's always drunk, and I just couldn't see myself getting emotional with Gold) except Regina. Regina and her beautiful, soulful hazelnut eyes. But ever since we arrived, I haven't laid my eyes on her despite the countless times I had planned to go and see her. It's just too hard. After the fact that Henry has once again chosen to live with me insted of her, I don't think she'll even want to talk to me. But I'll have to try, after all, she was there, and she may need to talk to someone too. So I decided to go over to her place and make her talk to me as soon as I get myself a free moment.

I didn't.

I wish I did.

_**Regina**_

I came to wrapped in soft sheets, in a dark room, with the distinct sensation that my head will never stop spinnig. I assumed it was a room,because absolutely nothing was clear. The only constants were my feelings, still the same hurt, conflictual feelings, and the certainty of two things: That my name was Regina Mills and that I have absolutely nothing to do here. Something was tugging at the back of my mind but I wasn't sure about what and I decided to ignore it for the time being. I was alone, again, with no other company than my own thoughts even though I could barely remember the last time I was alone. This mere constatation made sad and confused tears spill from my eyes, and I tried to muffle my cries in the pillow under my head.

Wait! Pillow!

There was a pillow under my head. Which means someone had bothered to put it there. My sorrowful thoughts were quickly overwhelmed by the exicitement. I made it. I had gotten here ? I don't know... yet. But I 'll find out.

I was just about to get up from whatever I was lying on when a door on my right swung open and a silhouhette entered followed by so much light that I was forced to shelter my eyes from the assult.

"Oh sorry! Did I awake you? It's just that you see, you've been sleeping for the past three days so I didn't expect you to wake up..."

He smiled, a very slow one.

I stared.

I stared at him, trying to process anything usefull from his ranting. I found nothing other than the fact that I had been here for three days.

"Are you an angel?" he asked.

I was taken aback by the question, and the amout of hope within each word that I almost didn't respond. I managed to choke out something when he started looking at me funny.

"No, I'm not an angel. What makes you think I'm one?"

He shrugged, disappointed "You fell from the sky... and you're really beautiful si I thought... maybe one of them had decided to come back"

"Come back from where? Who?"

He gave me a "duh" look that pulled at my chest as if trying to remind me of something, or someone. But no matter how hard I tried, the fleeting memories retreated just before I could grasp at them. I had to restrain myself from screaming out loud and yelling out curses, at this innocent boy for saying these things that affect me so much or at myself for forgetting something so important. Because I felt like it was important, but that was about all I was sure of.

Mentally chastising myself for almost losing my temper, (something I think I have done before) I gave the boy a tight smile and decided to drop the matter

"Falling from the sky doesn't mean I 'm an angel" I stated "but thanks for the compliment"

"You're welcome"

"What's your name my dear?" I asked

"Ned"

"That's a very fine name. Would you like to sit with me?"

He shuffled his feet for a while before coming a closer and finally sitting on the edge of the bed.

"But I can't stay long because I have to go back and tell them that you're awake" He said apologetically.

He was so shy, his almost white hair falling into his twinkling blue eyes. I wanted to ask who "they" were but I didn't want him to look at me with those intelligent and judging eyes, and bring back that frustrating feeling that I was missing something important, so I played along

"It's alright. I would hate to keep you away from your duties"

We sat in a comfortable silence for what seemed like hours until he got up and said: "It was nice meeting you Regina, but I have to go now. But don't worry, we'll meet again" And with that he was gone.

It took me a few seconds to figure out that I never gave him my name and I bolted out of bed (yes it was a bed) and ran after him. I pulled the door open but to my utmost surprise, he was gone. Vanished. And i was standing in a white room, once again, all alone.

"What have I gotten myself into?" I thought

**Let me know what you think**


	3. Who I am

_**Emma**_

I was sitting in the station, busy getting bored out of my mind when the feeling hit me. Dread and terrible foreboding. Something was happening or was going to happen. Something terrible. My first thoughts were for Henry as I grabed the phone and dailed my mother's number (It still feels a bit weird to call her mom. But I try). She picks up almost immediately and for a second I'm sure something terrible has happened to my son, well mine and Regina's son, but her chipper tone tells me otherwise.

Relived, I let out a breath I wasn't aware I was holding. But then, she becomes very annoying and starts talking about Neal straight away and suddenly I remember why I don't call her often. Why she has to do that all the time, I can't fantome, and I have no intention to find out.

"I have to go, Ma, it's an emergency" I lie before hanging up

Well it's not exactly a lie because there _is _an emergency. Someone is in danger. If there's something I've learnt from all these past years, it's to always trust my instincts. And right now, my guts are telling me that someone I care terribly about is in danger.

I have no idea who it is, but I 'll have to find out. So I grab my coat and bolt out of the station as I mentally make a list of all the people I have to check upon.

_**Regina**_

I slowly made my way back to the room and sat on the bed. Fear was slowly creeping into my head, paralysing every other thought on it's way. I was isolated in room and I still didn't know how or why. And this boy, Ned, knew my name, the only information that I had to give about myself, even though I never said it out loud.

_Don't_ _panic_, I said to myself. Which was a really wise thing to say because was already panicking. I felt like my heart had decided to fight it's way out of my chest and it's beating sound was bouncing off the wall. Was it?

_I stared at the red beating organ in my hand. Another heart, another fool who had decided to defy me. Except for that this time, the betrayal hurts more than I'll ever care to admit. Because Emma Swan had won,almost. I wasn't going to let her have a full victory, not in my curse, not in my who dared to stand in my way would be nothing but colllateral damages, I thought as I squeezed Graham's heart to dust._

I jerked awake with an undignified yelp, unable to believe I had actually fallen asleep in such a situation. Shame and guilt washed over me as I tried to get up but only to double over and grasp my head in pain as a thousand and one images of my life rushed in, fighting each other in the proces. It felt as though my head was a jar containing furious bees in a stinging contest.

Most of them were just fleeting images and shadows but each and every one of them found it's meaning. My entire life flashed before my eyes and dread suddenly overcame me. After all the terrible things I've done, these poeple could only want to harm me, to make me pay.

I immediately start looking for a weapon to defend myself or a way to escape but the room is bare with no windows.

"You're in troooouble" a voice in my head says. It sounds a lot like Rumplestiltskinand I am tempted to snap at it but it'll makes me look like I'm mad so I decide against it. But the fact remains that it's right and as if on cue, the door swings open and revels a huge man. His hair is long and dark, and his olive skin seems to shine. His hazelnut eyes are staring right into mine and his brows seemed to be knit togheter.

"Are you Regina?" he asked

I stood there, unable to move though all I wanted to do was run as far as possible away from him. Not that I had anywhere to go, I was trapped .

"Don't be scared" He said, "I mean you no harm"

His voice was low, soothing but his smile had something unerving about it. Something that could implant fear deep downn inside.

And as the fear tried to sprout roots inside me , I tried to fight it.

"I don't believe you" I said.

"Oh but you should, I am only here to help you. My name is Darius and I 'm a friend of Cora's. She is the one that brought you here. She misses you Regina and she asked me to bring you to her."

The mention of my mother caught my complete attention. Gone was the fear and uncertainty, replaced by a feeling I knew all too well and that I learned to dread: hope.

**Another chapter for y'all. Enjoy... and don't forget: reviews keeps the writers happy XD**


	4. Too still

_**A/N: Here's a new chapter for the New Year. Sorry if it's a little short, but I promise you guys another one as soon as possible. Maybe tomorrow, depending on reviews ;)**_

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_**Emma**_

I first made my way to Granny's. If anything odd were to happen, there was a great chance that Ruby's supersenses would be alerted. I met her midway,as she was on her way to the station, having finshed her shift at Granny's. It turned out her supersenses were in for any gossip but didn't have any to give.

I didn't bother to give her all the details. I just told her all she needed to know. Which wasn't much actually. So we both set out on the hunt for anything "funky" as she'd put it. But we only met Belle and some dwarves. They proposed to join us in our "quest". All to no avail. Storybrooke was as calm and as peaceful as ever.

It was Grumpy who finally suggested checking on "the bad guys" to "see what they were up to". Belle then rose up in rightoeus anger and claimed than her dear Rumple hadn't been evil since a long time and he had redeemed himself. One of the dwarves stated that it wasn't up to her to judge if the Dark One had redeemed himself or not, which led to an almost cat fight. It took a few minutes to separate them and make sure they wouldn't be going back at each other behind my back.

Mindful of Belle,we decided to check on Regina first. So we all stuttered up to 108 Millfin street. For a reason, I wanted to get there as fast as possible but the others didn't seem to feel like it. To tell the truth, most of them were still afraid of Regina and since Neverland, respect had been mixed up with the fear. It was like, all of a sudden, they no longer had the slightest interest in Regina's activities.

We arrived before I lost it and broke into a race. But I only felt better for a few secondes before that feeling of dread washed over me once more. And the lonely atmosphere of the mansion did nothing to ease an of the tension building inside me. It's gigantic shadow loomed sadly over us. I shivered against the sudden cold.

I pressed the bell a few times before Grumpy found some courage, or madness and decided that it was way better to pound on the door. I was pretty sure Regina wouldn't be pleased with anyone who mistreated her door and that the dwarf was in for some well placed insults and snark.

But Regina didn't appear, to yell or to snark.

After some more pounding, I finally resolved to my faithful lockpicking under the encouragements of everyone. The door swing open lazily into Regina's "vestibule" and although it was as pristine clean as per usual, something felt terribly off about the place.

"Regina" I called out "We know you're there. There's no point in hiding. We just want to talk".

I was answered only by my own voice that bounced off the wall. Not another sound or any sign of life.

"Creepy" Ruby stated the obvious.

"Let's split into groups, and look around for her" Grumpy suggested " She can't be very far away".

We all thought it was a good idea, so we split the house and garden into sections to search...up to no avail. Until a very girly sheirk came from Regina's room. (Don't ask me how I know where her room is. 'Cause I won't tell you)

We all rushed towards the sound, expecting something hilarious like a naked Ragina screeching at a dwarf to get out. But instead, Grumpy was sprawled on the floor, a terrified look on his face while Regina remained dead to the world, her hands crossed regally over her stomach.

At first glance, she looked asleep, but no one, not even I could have slept through so much commotion. And she wasn't showing any of the other signs of sleep. Her chest wasn't heaving and there was no fluttering of eyelids. She appeared still.

_Too _still.

The realisation hit me like a train at full speed and crushed me to dust.

"Regina!" I yelled as I rushed to her side and almost tripped over all seven dwarves in the process.

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**So, what do you think?**


	5. The aggresive stranger

**A/N: I know I promised to update real soon, but my laptop got drowned during New Year's eve. So I had to get a new computer and rewrite this chapter. But it's here now, so enjoy XD**

**Regina**

I stood there, rooted to the spot, trying to decide whether Darius was lying or not. But I didn't own that type of power, not like Emma Swan. Once upon a time, when I was only interested in what I wanted to hear, I never bothered to seek the truth. I tried using magic to read his mind but like all things gone haywire since I found myself in this place, it didn't work.

"It's no use", he said," you can't use that kind of magic in this place".

I sighed and weighed my options: the man in front of me was huge, with enormous hands and big mucles. And despite his large size, he struck me as a very fast kind of person. His hazelnut eyes were sharp and didn't miss the slightest movement, I noted, as I rapidly came to the conclusion that the wisest thing I could do was follow obediently and not make too much of a fuss.

"Okay, I'll follow you, but you'd better not try anything funny. You have no idea what I'm capable of" I said, trying to look stern but I don't think he took me very seriously because he replied with a rather condescending tone

"Of course, your Majesty. Shall we?" he asked

He turned around and I followed suit through sparkly white corridors.

"Sorry about the decor, I'm well aware that you'd have prefered red or purple but your arrival was quite sudden and I didn't have much time.

I nodded and said nothing. Actually I couldn't have cared less about the decoration. My main priority was to find out where I was. It was fairy clear that we weren't in Storybrooke because I'd never seen this man before and neither had I ever met Ned.

"Where are we?" I inquired from him.

"You would like to know wouldn't you" he drawled

I felt the irritation at me in full force: this fool was clearly toying with me.I thought as I pushed back the urge to at least smack or kick him. I was clearly at a disadvantage. And antagonizing him would only bring me more trouble.

"Yes, I would like to know" I said with forced pleasantness. Pretending to not have caught his game. It was probably better if he underestimated me for the time being. I was rewarded with a surprised raise of an eyebrow. I guess he wasn't expecting me to keep my cool. A michevious glint in the eyes, he replied:

"You soon would know. If you are patient young Regina. And if I were you, I concentrate more on who brought you here."

He'd struck a sensible cord, and he knew it. I quickly forgot that he'd called me "young Regina" and could only concentrate on my mother.

AlI could think of was the fact that somewhere out there, she was waiting for me and that I will see her far sooner than I would ever have expect. And I feared that my thoughts were as loud to Darius as my heartbeat must've been. But he didn't seem to mind me at all. And we both carried on through the sparkly white corridors.

**Emma**

Regina! Regina! I crept carefully after coming to an abrupt stop. I felt like I'd lost all control over my own body. My heart was pounding painfully and blood was rushing in ears, making it nearly impossible to hear anything other than the mantra in my heard "no, no, no..."

"Emma, Is everthing alright?

"She's not breathing" I gasp. How they happened to ignore such a fact was beyond me but I couldn't dwell on it because of the rigid body beside me or the fact that Belle was gently trying to steer me away from her while Ruby checks for a pulse.

I knew deep down in my guts that she won't find any and that Regina wouldn't wake up. But I still prayed for a miracle. I closed my eyes and wished for her to wake up and rain insults on all of her heads for barging into her property without permission.

After a while, Ruby turns around and shakes her head slowly. The room had gone quiet and nobody cared about Grumpy anymore. Ruby looked up to me with pitiful eyes and shook her head

" I'm sorry Emma, but there nothing more to do, she's gone."

My heart drops into a bottomless pit and the gaping hole inside me started to bleed. I tried to pull myself togheter and say something but I wouldn't have been able to create a sound even if my life depended on it. My head was pounding and my vision was blurred by tears as I barely registered Belle's hand tightening around my arm.

We all stood there for a while, in silence, Regina's immobile form still drawing some kind of respect. It was pretty clear they were waiting for me to do something, but I couldn't. All I could do was stand there, my heart beating and bleeding before the one person I was too late to save.

It all felt so strange to me, as if it was nothing more than a dream and that I would soon wake up screaming. Nothing felt right, Belle's sobs or Ruby's red rimmed eyes. None of them even liked her, they weren't even friends or anything. Even Happy's sad face was somewhat irrealistic.

We must've been standing there for quite some time because Ruby ended up taking charge and sending a few dwarves to get my parents, and steering the rest of us out of the room.

**Don't forget to review on your way out. It means a lot to me to know how well (or how bad) this is going.**


	6. Who is this?

**A/N: Hey y'all. I'm back with a new chapter. Feel free to read and enjoyXD**

**Regina**

_"__Do not slouch Regina. Ladies never slouch"_

_"But mother..."_

_"Silence young lady. Do not slouch. And do try to smile. No one will ever want to marry a grouchy hunchback"_

_"Yes mother" Regina sighed._

We came out into a beautiful garden, with a gigantic fountain in the middle. And at the feet of this fountain was Cora, my mother, looking worried and slouching like ever. She looked aged and I almost felt sorry for her. But then I recalled how I used to feel whenever she as near.

Darius chuckled softly:

"As you can see, she's pretty nervous"

"Serves her right" I mutter smugly. Which makes Darius to stop dead in his tracks. I barely had the time to stop myself before slamming into his broad back

"Hey!" I called out

He whipped around and looked at me dead in the eyes Gone was the soft and playful twinkle in his eyes, replaced by two hot coals. He seemed to grow bigger at sight and seeing he was already at a considerable size. It took me all my willpower not to cower away from his heated gaze.

"Listen very carefully, Regina, think whatever you want, but keep it in your head. And don't you ever tell her that"

"Why not"

"Because..." he chuckled and all of a sudden, the hard lines on his face were gone, replaced by a very pleasant smile. A smile that irked me even more than his frown.

"Look, I know you and your mother haven't had the best start. But I'll have you know she's changed now. And she's going through a lot right now, so I'll take it as a personal favor if you decided to took it easy on her" Although he said favor, it was pretty clear that I didn't have much of a choice.

I didn't really appreciate the fact that a complete stranger was instructing me on how to behave around my own mother. All I would have loved to do was snap at him and tell to go mind his own business or something even less pleasant. I couldn't, so I kept my mouth shut and tried to turn away from his eyes but not before I'd caught my mother's, so full of longing and hope. A look I'd never seen that I'd always hoped to see directed at me. And it called to me.

Darius must've sensed it too because he stepped aside so I could run to my mother. But I didn't, I prefered taking cautious little steps, deliberately inching slowly to her, just in case she was an hallucination, a mirage.

She however didn't disappear but inched futher towards me until we were standing in arm's reach. She then forwent all cation and lunghed pulled me into a bear hug. A feat so unexpected that I let her hold me without protest.

"Oh Regina, my darling girl" she sobbed.

I would later look upon this particular memory and laugh. My mother cuddling me like no tomorrow or the completely mortified expression that I must've been sporting or even Darius' strained smile. All of this made up one peculiarly happy memory. Even though at the time, all I wanted to do was get away from her grasp despite all the warning skillfully hidden in Darius' warm smile. But I couldn't take my chances, not yet. I hadn't forgotten that I was here against my will and that I was powerless against people I knew nothing about. And nothing was there to prove that the woman woven around me like a boa constrictor was actually my mother. Afterall, she'd never behaved in such a way before. And, before she died, I had only had a glimpse of who she could have been if ever she had had her heart during my childhood.

My main concern was to go with it, until I had the upper hand. Before then, I couldn't afford to upset her, or go against Darius' warning. I had a feeling he wouldn't hesitate to do somemthing drastic if I went, even slightly, against him, so I gingerly freed an arm from my mother's embrace and patted her back, flashing a smug smile at Darius as I did

**Emma**

I felt sick, terribly sick. I could barely see straight and when the others decide to leave the room, I had to stumble after them. At the moment, I couldn't think straight and it was a good thing Ruby was there to take over. No matter how hard I tried, the reality of everything was still far away from me. I was stuck in denial but I still couldn't shake the sinking feeling.

When my parents arrived, both breathing heavily after a long run, I was still in my dazed state, completely unaware all that was going on around me.

"What happened?" Snow asked "Happy told us that Regina..."

For some reason, she didn't complete her sentence. I wouldn't have bothered if Ruby hadn't spoken up

"She's been like that since we found the body"

"Emma, are you alright?" My father's deep voice managed to cut through the fog and reached me, causing me to look up. They were all staring at me, worry evident in their eyes.

"Oh Emma" Snow started as she made her way towards me "Everything's going to be fine, you'll see"

I'm sure she only meant to make me feel better, but I couldn't help feeling the burning hot anger, that coursed inside me. I could barely recognize myself. I suddenly felt like slapping her: how could she say such a thing? How could anything ever be all right? I'd once again missed a chance to be happy and all she could say was "everything's going to be alright"

I was about to say something really hurtful when she wrapped her arms around me. I felt the warmth but at the same time, a patch of icy cold stretched across my chest. And the fact that she was rubbing my back didn't really make me feel better. All I wanted to do was to get away from her fierce grip.

It didn't take long before I physically made my way out of her embrace, shrugging her arms off me. I barely registered her hurt expression before taking off into Storybrooke.

** Please don't forget to review.**


	7. In the fog

**A/N**: **I know it's been a while and I'm sorry for taking so long but life and especially school got in the way. Anyway, here it is, hot out of the oven.**

**Enjoy XD**

**Regina **

It was starting to get a bit tiring when Darius himself came to my rescue by slipping in between us and almost forcing us apart. It was clear that he wasn't one of my greatest fans but my mother was pretty precious to him. I could see it by the way he held her shoulder as he pulled her away from me with rushed whispers. Whatever he was trying to say seemed pretty urgent and my mother sounded like she wasn't completely onboard with whatever idea he had had.

I stood there, not even trying to hear what they were saying. No matter what it was, it was a perfect way to get in between them and manipulate my way out of here.

Darius and I weren't friends and I knew nothing of this woman who claimed to be my mother. So I tried not to feel guilty for trying to recall the Dark One's most effectif patterns of manipulation. That's it, I tried.

But all my resolve melted when Cora tuned tome with a tear filled smile. Darius was sporting a similar one except for the fact his eyes were dry and his smile was fake. It was as clear as day: no matter how my "mother" felt about this whole situation, Darius didn't agree, not even slightly. Which made me wonder what kind of hold Cora had on him.

They came over to me, Darius' arm wrapped protectively around my mother who was beaming like a child who was just told that her that christmas was coming early. She reached out and took my hand.

" Regina, I know you're very confused right now, but, everything is going to be fine. You'll see"

I almost let out a bark of laughter at her words. How exactly was everything going to be alright? I'm stuck in an unknown place with a stranger that obviosly hated me and my dead abusive mother. But I catch myself at the last minute and manage a smile.

Her eyes start to water again and she duckes her head before leading me out of the garden.

**Emma**

Under normal circomstances, running in Storybrooke would have merely been a way to keep my body in shape. And not a way to get away as most people may think. But at that very moment,that was exactly what it had become: an escape from the madness creeping up on me. Nothing made sense anymore and the running, by gradually emptying my head, brought me the respit I desperately needed.

But unfortunately for me, my body was just that, a body. And after a while, it tired out, leaving me panting and heaving as I emptied the contents of my stomach onto the sidewalk, ignoring all those sidestepping me so as not to step on the vile substance, as they formed a vast circle around me. The circle remained, even when I gotten up again and moved on.

The curious glances, the delibrate distance they were keeping from me. All this were familiar. Although they were always sent to Regina, not me.

All I wanted was to get as far away as possible from this people. I could already imagine their joy when they hear the news. They'd probably try to congratulate me, as their Saviour. They insiste it's all thanks to me and my parents. Who will graciously accept their thanks and make toasts to their victory and I'll be forced to join in and smile. Because that's what the "good guys" were supposed to do.

But that's not what I wanted. I may not have known at the time exactly what I wanted, but I knew it wasn't that. I knew because I felt like I was litterately falling apart. My hands were shaking and my head was spinnig. But I had to move on, if not the horror of the situation would catch up with me before I was ready and trear me into shreads. And I'll never be able to get back on my feet again.

"Get a grip of yourself Swan" I scolded myself "There's no point in fainting in the middle of the street, you'll just end up drawing unwanted attention on all this"

I was pulled out of my thoughts by David's truck, pulling up right in front of me. He leaned over his seat, his blue eyes swimming with worry.

"Emma" he called out "Emma, are you alright?"

My body felt like a million bees and I could barely see straight.

"Peachy" I said before hopping into the car. He waited until I'd closed the door and taken a deep breath before driving off . I barely had the time to ask myself if he was going to ask me about my behaviour before he'd begun questionning me about it.

"Your mother is very worried about you. It is clear that all this is affecting you a lot"

When I refused to reply, he went on.

"Don't worry about Henry. He's a strong boy and with his real mother by his side, he'll be able to overcome all of this in no time" He tried a tentative smile.

David hadn't been raised by royals but he'd managed to get their skills. I wasn't stupid, I understood very well what he was trying to do. But I didn't do more than nod and stare straight in front of me: using my son against me in such a vulnerable state was despicable. And I would hold it against him for a very long time.

When we got back the apartement, I expected Snow to be waiting for us in the kitchen with at least a mug of hot cocoa with cinnamon, but instead, The whole of "our" friends were there, waiting for us. Including Granny and Ruby. Apparently, they'd closed the bed and breakfast and Henry had authorized to go to one of his friend's house.

They were all looking at me with expectantcy and for some, with worry. They'd all been informed of the current situation and probably already had their own ideas on how to deal with it.

The Blue Fairy was the first to speak.

"I propose we annouce the news as soon as possible" she said

"Yeah, I'm sure it'll be great news for everybody" Grumpy added

I was still feeling like shit but I had at least gotten back a bit of lucidity. These people were already discussing the best way to get rid of Regina permanenetly. They were already making schemes on her burial and who will take up what after everything was settled. All this in front of me, and her own son wasn't even aware of anyhting yet.

I sat there, silently seething when I caught Snow's eye. They were red rimmed, as if she'd been crying when she looked back to the blue fairy, she was wearing a blanck expression but I could have sworn I saw pain in those green eyes.

**Have a nice day and don't forget to review on your way out XD**


End file.
